


Twilight Butterfly

by HikikomoriNoAria



Category: Bleach
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Descriptive Battle Scene, Established Relationship, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, a tiiiiny bit of angst, i dunno what to tag, really tiny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 00:27:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4458344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HikikomoriNoAria/pseuds/HikikomoriNoAria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Hitsugaya was sent to the Human World for a mission. And probably a rendezvous with a certain orange-haired Romeo </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm really bad at making summaries, sorry! *hides*</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twilight Butterfly

**Author's Note:**

> Hello~
> 
> This was a guilty pleasure for me, but hey, they're cute XD 
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

_Well, I sent a hell butterfly first to let him now. But since it might already be night time in the Human World, he is probably going to bed by now…_ is what I thought while gliding through the air. When I seemed to have almost reached the Human World, a slim opening widened in front of me, revealing the dark blue sky of the Human World.

Supposedly, it’s 23.45 in the Human World.  
  
Without much difficulty, I passed through the door that looked like a pair of sliding door if viewed from the Human World. As I was just about to land on an electrical pole, a voice call out to me.  
  
  
“Yo!”  
  
I immediately halted midair and turned my head around. There, he stood in midair just like me with a sword of unusually big size hanging behind his back.  
  
The sleeves of his Shihakushou dance along with the soft night wind. His short hair much like the color of orange gives him that image of being a delinquent. Even more with his default expression being scowling with his eyebrows literally drawn together.  
  
  
“Kurosaki,”  
  
“Have you been well, Toushiro”  
  
“It’s Captain Hitsugaya,”  
  
“Heh. You are coming alone? Where’s Rangiku-san?”  
  
“I had Matsumoto stand-in for me.”  
  
“Hee… Well, where are we going then?” he asked me.  
  
“?”  
  
“You told me you are coming here for a mission, right? You will probably start immediately, right? I might as well tag along,”  
  
“There is no need, I just have to pick up something”  
  
“And then go back immediately? Man are you cold. Since you went out of your way and sent me a message, we might as well have some time together,”  
  
  
 _This man… does he have no shame? Saying such embarrassing thing._  
  
  
“…”  
  
“Oi, Toushiro, are you listening?”  
  
“It’s Captain Hitsugaya! Hhhh… fine. Come if you want,”  
  
I went ahead of him and he followed suit gliding through the air with me. We head to the south reach of this Karakura Town. After a minute or two, we reached at a dense forest separating the residence nearby with a mountain. I landed on the ground full of falling leaves. It’s summer now but due to the large amount of trees around here, you almost couldn’t see the ground below the leaves.  
  
  
“What is this thing that you are ordered to pick up?”  
  
“It’s confidential.”  
  
“Really” he said with a cynical tone.  
  
I appreciate that he went along with me but this is also the one thing that I don’t like about him. He always sticks his nose to other people business and end up getting dragged along in trouble. Can’t he just leave others alone? No matter how strong he is, he should know some self-preservation. It wouldn’t be a joke if he were to die because of others. Seriously… he is kinda smart but he rarely use his head.  
  
  
“Watch out!!!”  
  
  
He suddenly shouted loud while shoving my shoulder. Kurosaki also step back almost immediately after he shoved me but he were a moment too late. As I was sent back by a step and staggered, a slash of wind brushed past between us sharply.  
  
  
“Guh!” He groaned.  
  
“Kurosaki!”  
  
  
A fresh cut suddenly formed in Kurosaki’s left torso while it made a small cut on my face.  
  
  
“Don’t mind me,” said Kurosaki in a held back voice.  
  
  
 _What am I doing?!!!!_  
  
 _Dammit!_  
  
  
As soon as I got my balance, I raised my face and faced front. There was nothing there but I couldn’t be more convinced that the attacker was up ahead. I rushed of up front to the source of that sharp wind.   
  
  
“Hyourinmaru!”  
  
I shouted out the name of my beloved Zanpakutou and had hyourinmaru attacked the whole view ahead of me and let the surrounding air and trees freeze.  
  
 **Clank!!!**  
  
A sound of sharp objects crashing can be heard.  
  
Slowly, the view straight in front of me began to waver as it showed different color to the surrounding.  
  
A hollow of 4 meter high crouching there. The arms part is similar to that of a praying mantis. That must be the source of the sharp wind that hit us. It seemed to have a stealth ability as I couldn’t sense it being there.  
  
The hollow stared at me as if it wanted to make a hole on my face. But I just gave it back a glare with caution. It carried something with its left scythe-like hand. A sphere, half the size of a football, glowing in pale blue. That is the item I’ve been sent to retrieve. It held it in such a way if I were to aim for his torso in anyplace I’d also cut the sphere and cutting that sphere in this human world would be a disaster. At least it would make me end up in the jail and stripped from all my authority.   
  
It’s a reishi ball, or so called the technology division, made from condensed reiryouku of souls. I don’t even want to know how they made it. But it held enough energy to blow up the entire Kamakura City if I were to just slice it here without any sort of barrier.  
  
As I was lost in thought while cautiously facing the hollow, I sensed something wrong with Kurosaki’s reiatsu. I could have just turned around to look at him but I couldn’t afford to lose this hollow now. I didn’t have enough information about the hollow, and that stealth ability of it would make it even harder to look for it if it were to use it again.  
After setting up an emergency plan in a half-minute, I strengthen my feet on the ground and leap ahead at once, erasing the distance between me and the hollow until we were only a few centimeters apart.  
  
The hollow took a step back in surprise but I didn’t give it time to give another reaction. I sliced through the air in front of it, managing to injure both its legs in process.  
  
  
“Hyourinmaru…” I whispered to hyourinmaru.  
  
  
Cold steam emitted from hyourinmaru, corresponding with the air around us and a second later, frost started to emerge from the wound I made on the hollow earlier.  
  
The hollow made a weird sound almost like a mice squeal, in desperate attempt, I felt an increase on its reiatsu, and it was not a small one.  
  
  
It must have absorbed the reishi ball’s energy!  
  
  
Another attack of that sharp wind slice would give a whole different level of damage if I received it directly like this. I made use of shunpou and halted midair.  
  
  
“Tsk!” I clicked my tongue.  
  
“Bankai!” I roared.  
  
  
Hyourinmaru took a different shape and two flower-shaped fractals appeared behind me. I immediately set up an ice cage squaring the whole forest area.  
  
Like I predicted, it attacked me with another wind blade but now in bankai mode, I could see its trajectory. I gave a counterattack, slicing through the air, and as though Hyourinmaru knew what I wanted, the wave created by my attack, clash with its wind blade and froze it. They crumbled midair.  
  
Seeing that, the hollow made a better judgment to escape and used that time to turn around and leaped fast towards the ice wall made in front. It must have planned to make an escape by making a hole on it.   
  
  
“Getsuga tenshou!”  
  
  
Before it reached the wall, an enormous size of bright blue light cut its route making it halted in panic and losing an arm. It only left with the arm it used to hold to the sphere.     
I searched for the source of the voice and I saw Kurosaki on the ground. He stood while putting his weight on his blade, supporting him.  
  
  
“Now, Toushiro!” he said half shouting.  
  
  
I made use of the confusion the hollow experiencing and froze it.  
Seconds later, the frost crumble as it also killed the hollow, leaving the sphere alone. I put hyourinmaru to its scabbard and undo my bankai.  
  
The sphere floated midair before it started to fall and I caught it with my left hand. I put it away in my Shihakushou and hurriedly came down to Kurosaki.  
  
  
“Kurosaki!”  
  
“Well, as expected from the captain class.”  
  
“You idiot, why did you…” I couldn’t continue my sentence. It felt like something was blocking my wind pipe and I couldn’t make a voice.  
  
“You weren’t hurt, though?”  
  
  
You’re still asking me?!  
  
  
“Worry about yourself first! Your reiatsu suddenly dropped! Show me the wound!” I said while grabbing his collar.  
  
  
A diagonal slice was made across his entire torso, there was only so much blood but what intrigued me was not the extent of the wound but something coming out from the wound. Small particles in the size of snow flake continuously emerging from the wound.  
  
  
“What the―”  
  
“That hollow seemed to have the ability to steal the reiryouku of the person it cut.”  
  
  
So the sudden decrease of his reiatsu just now was because of this! So that hollow didn’t take the reishi ball’s energy but it absorbed it from Kurosaki!  
  
I felt a sudden chill. That leap of energy was so big, and suddenly having his reiryouku taken out in such a huge amount would give his soul body a shock.  
  
  
“Are you okay?” I asked. I felt as though my lips were so dry.  
  
“What’s this? Are you actually worried?” he said with a wry, forced smile.  
  
“You idiot! You don’t know what kind of predicament you got yourself into!”  
  
“I’m fine.” He said lightly. “Anyway, did you retrieve the thing you were looking for?”  
  
“...Yeah,”  
  
“Great, now, let’s go back. I want to lay down soon. That’s right Tou―” he didn’t finish his sentence and suddenly collapsed to the ground.  
  
“Kurosaki!!!”  
  
  
***  
  
  
I hurriedly race to Urahara’s place. He was already waiting in front of the house. He signed with tilting his head to tell me to bring Kurosaki in.   
  
Tessai helped me with carrying Kurosaki to the back of the store. We laid him down on a futon.  
  
  
“What a mess you’ve made, Captain Hitsugaya.”  
  
“Shut up. It’s his fault for meddling anyway. Just treat him already.”  
  
“Okay~. Anyway, did you retrieve the item?”  
  
“Well, yeah…”  
  
“Did Kurosaki-kun find out what it is?”  
  
“No, I wouldn’t tell him anyway.”  
  
“Well, that’s good. He has a strong sense of justice, you might create a rift between you two if he ever found out”  
  
“Leave it.”  
  
  
Urahara raised both his hand signing him giving up on the subject and started treating Kurosaki.  
  
I turned my back leaving the room, before I went out, I glanced back to the Kurosaki lying unconscious on the futon. The wound on his torso somehow stung me too and made me hurriedly left the room.  
  
I came out and sat on the front porch.  
  
  
 ** _“Toushiro”_**  
  
  
I somehow felt I could still hear him calling my name with his slightly lower voice.  
  
  
“Idiot… you’ll die for real if you keep this up…”  
  
  
  
There is nothing certain in dealing with Kurosaki. His appearance 3 years ago was so sudden. Followed by Rukia then Aizen incident, to the recent final war with quincies. One way or another, he always managed to be the center of all those trouble.  
Being beaten and losing were one thing, but he nearly died more than twice. You won’t have enough heart to cope with the outrageous things he’s brought and done.  
  
Still, even so, I just couldn’t leave him alone.  
  
I wonder since when… since when did I start thinking about him in this way?  
  
  
“Damnit…”  
  
While I was thinking like that, the slide door behind me created a sound.  
  
Urahara stood there while wiping his hand with a hand towel.  
  
  
“It’s done,”  
  
“And then?” I asked.  
  
“Well, it’s actually a pretty interesting wound so I took some samples. But fear not, he’ll be good as new in a few days. The injury to the soul body is different from physical body after all. And with Kurosaki-kun reiryouku, it will be a clinch.”  
  
  
I walked pass him wordlessly after hearing his explanation.  
  
  
“You’d better rest here to.”  
  
“I’m taking him home right away. It’s almost sunrise and he has school today. His family will wake him up soon. It will be a problem if his youngest sister found his body lying cold.”  
  
Urahara made a number 3 shape with his mouth. “If you don’t sleep well, you won’t grow you know,”  
  
I ignored his protest and entered the room Kurosaki was treated in. He was still unconscious. With half his body covered with bandage.  
  
Today was such a shameful display of conduct.  
  
  
“…thanks…” I whispered.  
  
  
While sitting in seiza beside him, I let him lying like that for another half an hour. After that, just like how I carried him here, I used the same method at bring him back to his house.  
  
  
***  
  
  
6.30 a.m.  
  
The sun was starting to rise up outside. Kurosaki was still unconscious when I put back his soul in shinigami form to his physical body. Urahara have sealed the leaking reiryouku but the shock heavily burdened Kurosaki because he had an unbelievable amount of reiryouku.  
  
  
“Ugh.....” Kurosaki groaned.  
  
  
He opened his eyes slowly. I was sitting on a chair just beside his bed. He seemed like he was still half asleep, staring blankly at the ceiling before finally turning to my direction.  
  
  
“...Toushiro?”  
  
  
“You okay?”  
  
“Yeah, just a bit dizzy... Oh, I’m back to my body... what happened again?”  
  
“You passed out after we defeated that hollow,”  
  
“Waaah, talk about being lame. So, your business is done then?”  
  
“Yeah. Thanks to you,”  
  
“Oh, you are being surprisingly honest?”  
  
“....anyway, you should stop doing that...”  
  
“That? What?”  
  
“Covering for other people, you’ll really die if you do that all the time,”  
  
  
He gave me a wry smile which somehow irked me.  
  
  
“Let me just say this, I didn’t cover for you, I just avoided the attack a step too late, that’s all. Oh that’s right, what were you thinking back there? Spacing out during such a mission is so not like you,”  
  
“Shut up.”  
  
“Yes. Yes. Man, I wonder why you are always giving me the cold shoulder...”  
  
“...Am...I?”  
  
  
Kurosaki looked surprised at my hesitant inquiry. I was too.  
  
  
“Oh... you are...”  
  
“....”  
  
“.......”  
  
  
A sharp short silence filled the room. I couldn’t bear it anymore and snapped at him. Standing.  
  
  
“Aaarrrgghhh! What?! If you have anything to say, just come out and say it!!!”  
  
“Hah? No, why me?! Argh, I don’t get you either... fine, I’ll just go back to sleep.”  
  
“Ichi-nii?” His sister, Karin, came into the room. Probably because all of that shouting. “...? Toushiro? You were here? When did you come?”  
  
  
Shoot. I forgot.  
  
  
“Ah, he was wandering outside last night so I told him to stay here for today.”  
  
“Wandering... you mean a mission?”  
  
“Yeah, something like that.” I answered randomly.  
  
“Hmmm... Anyway, were you arguing? I could hear it all the way from the kitchen,”  
  
“We’re not.” Answered Kurosaki. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“No, because Ichi-nii was making loud noises just now, I thought something happened...”  
  
“I see... sorry about that, you can go back to sleep, Kurosaki.”  
  
“Which Kurosaki are you calling?” Kurosaki rebutted me.  
  
“Your sister, of course.”  
  
“Well, I’m already awake, might as well help Yuzu prepare breakfast. Will you be eating with us, Toushiro?”  
  
“No need. And it’s captain Hitsugaya. Both of you siblings are so...”  
  
“Oh that’s right, Karin, tell Yuzu to just set aside my breakfast, I’ll eat it later.”  
  
“? Aren’t you going to school?”  
  
“I’m not. I don’t feel good. Tell dad to call the school while you’re at it.”  
  
“Ichi-nii, do you realize that you are an exam student, right now?”  
  
“Yes, I do. But I’m feeling sick, I can’t help it.”  
  
“Should I make dad take a look at you?”  
  
“Geh. No way, that old man will just kick me again. Just tell him to call the school.”  
  
“Oi, Kurosaki―”  
  
“Okay,” Karin answered interfering with my speech. She hurriedly went down stairs and we are alone again.  
  
“......”  
  
“...........”  
  
  
After Karin left the room, Kurosaki pushed his back, back against the bed.  
  
  
“...Kurosaki, are you asleep?”  
  
“...”  
  
“......Then I’ll be going back. Oh and, Rangiku said hello. Then,”  
  
“...”  
  
  
 _Shit. This guy..._  
  
  
  
I walked past his bed and opened the window, when I was just about to launch myself outside, I felt a pull on my right hand. While I was turning my head in surprise, a stronger force pulled me making me losing my balance and fall to the bed only to be imprisoned in Kurosaki’s hand.  
  
Before I knew it, he was already on top of me. Both his hand was holding my arms to the bed so that I couldn’t move them.  
  
  
“Toushiro...”  
  
“W-what is it? Anyway, get off of me, now!”  
  
“Hey, I’ve been wanting to say this to you...” he said in a low voice.  
  
“Like I said, what is it?”  
  
“I’m not Hinamori you know. More like, I don’t understand why you are overlapping her with me. I mean, we have different build, and I’m obviously a man. Yesterday, you spaced out because you were thinking about it, weren’t you? What is it that you’re so afraid of?”  
  
  
His word was like a finger pushing a wrong button in me. Instinctively, I kicked his abdomen and when he loosened his grip on my hands, I pushed myself out from the bed.  
  
  
Kurosaki groaned in pain while I was breathing really rough.  
  
  
“...Bastard...”  
  
“Ouch... you don’t have to kick me that hard,”  
  
“OBVIOUSLY!” I shouted. “BECAUSE I HOLD YOU AS IMPORTANT AS SHE IS TO ME!!!”  
  
  
I was surprised at how loud I was as he was also staring me surprised. By the time when I finally come to my senses, I felt my face getting hotter.  
  
“Tch,”  
  
  
I hurriedly run towards the window trying to escape but Kurosaki grabbed hold to my Haori.   
  
“Wait,” he said.  
  
  
I somehow really want to get out from his room so I just ignored him and flew out from the window. I know I can’t return to the Soul Society without my Haori but for now, I just wanted to get away from there as soon as possible.  
I’d usually put Hyourinmaru on my back but for some reason, I put it around my waist, hence the reason Kurosaki could pull my Haori off. If I had put Hyourinmaru as usual, I’d be able to go back to Soul Society right this moment...  
  
  
“Aaargh... what’s wrong with me...dammit...”  
  
  
My face felt so hot as though it’s burning.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Toushiro flew to the sky in an unbelievable speed. Before long, I couldn’t see him anymore. Just where was he heading anyway?  
  
  
  
 ** _“OBVIOUSLY! BECAUSE I HOLD YOU AS IMPORTANT AS SHE IS TO ME!!!”_**  
  
  
  
That really surprised me.  
  
  
“Hehe,” I chuckled to myself.  
  
  
He must be really red right now. Damn, I should’ve followed him. I really wanted to see his blushing face.   
  
I then rested my elbow on the window stills, supporting my head as I sat beside the window.  
  
  
“Hurry up and come back, Toushiro...” I whispered to the air.  
  
  
  
  
  
Knock. Knock. I heard a knock on the door to my room.  
  
“Yes. Yes,” I said while heading to the door.  
  
“Onii-chan?” I heard Yuzu’s voice.  
  
  
  
I opened the door for Yuzu then saw her bringing my breakfast.  
  
  
“Karin said you weren’t feeling well, are you okay?”  
  
“Oh, just a cold, I think. Have you had your breakfast too?”  
  
“We are eating in the kitchen. Should I stay home for today?”  
  
“No, it’s fine. Just go to school. Be careful on your way, okay,”  
  
“Okay. If anything happens, just call me okay. I’ll tell dad not to be mean to you while you’re not feeling well.”  
  
“Haha, okay. Thanks.” I said while taking the breakfast Yuzu brought for me.  
  
  
  
Yuzu went back downstairs after handing me the breakfast. I closed the door and bring the food to the table.  
  
  
  
“That Toushiro... how long will it take for him to calm down I wonder...” I once again murmured to myself.  
  
  
I looked at his Haori lying on the bed. I took it with my left hand and brought it near my face.  
  
  
“Well, he’ll need this before he goes back, I guess.”  
  
I think I was smiling when I said that.  
  
  
***  
  
  
Before I knew it, it’s soon sundown.   
  
  
After storming out from the Kurosaki’s home, I just strolled around near the river bed. This is so unbecoming of me. Then again, I couldn’t handle the situation there.  
  
I somehow blurted out something I won’t normally say.  
  
The people I hold dear, always get themselves nearly killed. Baa-chan, Hinamori, that guy too...  
  
Every time a battle involve them, the very thought that this time, I might really lose them, shake me to the core. Making me rushing a battle. Making reckless decision. Distracted even.  
  
Damn, I can’t be like this forever. And I will need to get my Haori back... I thought to myself.  
  
  
“Guess I have no choice...”  
  
  
After straightening my thought, I head back to the Kurosaki’s. As I came close to Kurosaki’s room, I noticed something unusual.  
  
  
“?”  
  
  
I couldn’t sense Kurosaki’s reiatsu. No, I could sense it, but it’s really faint. That’s really strange for Kurosaki. Could it be, something happened while I was away?  
  
  
I arrived in front of Kurosaki’s room but I couldn’t see anyone from outside. I took a step forward then leap in through the window that was left open.  
  
When I arrived in the room, I noticed that he was sleeping on his bed. I immediately walk to his bed and raised the blanket he was using. Through the physical body, I don’t really know how his injury was but this unusual fluctuation of reiatsu was probably related to his injury. I started getting worried.   
  
Maybe I should contact that Orihime girl to heal him.  
  
While thinking so, I sent a hell butterfly to contact Orihime Inoue. In the meantime, I once again sit beside his bed. My Haori had been folded neatly and put on the table just beside me.  
  
I can just take my Haori and go back... but that’s a bit..., and Kurosaki doesn’t look too good... maybe I should stay here until Orihime Inoue comes here. After she healed him, then I will go back.   
  
  
“...”  
  
  
I had this sudden urge to touch him. So I stretched my hand and stroked his hair. It feels prickly. Then I placed my hand on Kurosaki’s forehead and felt that he was a little bit feverish. Probably feeling a touch, Kurosaki slowly opened his eyes.  
  
  
  
“Toushiro?”  
  
“!? Sorry,” I was kind of surprised when I heard his voice.  
  
“No, it’s fine.” He answered. I was about to lift my hand when he prevented me.  
  
“Ah, don’t lift your hand yet. Your hand is cold, it feels nice.”  
  
“...” I wordlessly followed his wish.  
  
“Did you... notice your reiatsu is acting weird while you were asleep?”  
  
“Really? I just felt a bit uncomfortable. I don’t know what happened,”  
  
“Really...”  
  
  
  
Another silence. But it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Kurosaki closed his eyes as though he was feeling the touch on his forehead. That made me feel somehow at ease.  
  
  
“I called Orihime Inoue so that she would heal your injury. She should be coming anytime soon.”  
  
“Eh? Ah... really... I guess I’ll be owing her a favor,”  
  
“......Sorry,”  
  
“Eh?”  
  
“Sorry, it’s my fault that you get injured like this,”  
  
“...what’s wrong? It’s so unlike you to be apologizing so honestly, did something happen?”  
  
Kurasaki asked me while trying to wake up. I put some strength to my hand on Kurosaki’s forehead to prevent him from sitting up.   
  
  
“Just... listen,”  
  
  
Kurosaki looked at me with a serious look, implying that he’s ready to listen.  
  
  
“I’m sorry, okay. I’m overlapping you with Hinamori and the others. You are right. I mean, you are strong. And I’ve seen how strong you are so many times, but still.....Kurosaki... I know you want to protect. But please, treasure yourself. Make yourself your priority sometimes, don’t make a roundabout excuse and prioritized others. L-like what I said earlier, t-there are people... who think of your live as precious,”  
  
  
The sound of my voice got smaller and smaller as I reached the end of my speech so I don’t know if he heard all of that.   
  
  
“...who are these ‘others’?”  
  
“Eh?”  
  
  
Kurosaki sat up.  
  
  
“When you said Hinamori and the others, who are these ‘others’?”  
  
“....? L-like obaa-chan... or... Kusaka....”  
  
  
Kurosaki made a face as if he remembered something unpleasant. Kusaka was my best friend when we were still in the academy. We had to go separate ways after he lost to me when we battled for the right upon Hyourinmaru.   
  
  
“...? Kurosaki?”  
  
“Come here, Toushiro,” Kurosaki asked me while stretching out his right hand.  
  
  
It felt like he was somewhat testing me. It irked me a bit but I complied with him. Before I knew it, I was sitting between   
his legs and he made me put my weight on him.  
  
  
“Don’t treat me like a girl,” I said softly.  
  
“You know I don’t,” He replied.  
  
  
He put his hands around me and this made me feel awkward. I just curled myself instead.  
  
Rays of leftover sunlight pierced through the empty air and created shadow. It must have been a beautiful dusk outside but we couldn’t care less, we were at each other, drowning with each other.   
  
I could feel the heat from his hand on my neck as I let my face sunk in to his shoulder. His broad and sturdy shoulder. I couldn’t help but to wonder at how many people would long to be embraced by him. I guess it’s a good thing that he always looked like a delinquent. And I couldn’t seem to calm down as I felt warmth from that shoulder, waking me up to the fact that the very man was with me.  
  
  
“...It’s still bright outside, though…” I said in a small voice.  
  
“So it’s okay if it’s nighttime?” he asked playfully.  
  
“Idiot... I’m not in my gigai,”  
  
“Ah, I guess you’re right. You see, I’m always wondering, what would happen if we do it while you’re in your shinigami form,”  
  
  
I answered him with a strong punch to his stomach instead.  
  
  
“Ouch! Okay, okay. Sorry!”  
  
“….”  
  
“You are not asleep are you?” he asked.  
  
“It’s you who need to rest. Orihime Inoue will be here soon,”  
  
“Ah... I almost forgot. You were really worried, huh,”  
  
  
I just snuggled my head deeper instead of answering with words.  
  
  
“Okay. Okay.” He said while stroking my hair.  
  
  
I felt a lift and we finally laid down on the bed with my back against him.  
  
Hands, fingers, tangled in each other  
  
His voice whispering ‘I love you’ smoothly to my ear  
  
Heat burning on my face as we have no distance between each other  
  
No matter how many times, I just couldn’t get used to it  
  
  
“Toushiro, you are going back tomorrow, yeah?”  
  
“Hm…”  
  
“I see…”  
  
“What of it?”  
  
“Nothing. Well, I guess a captain can’t just leave his post for too long, huh.”  
  
“……you,”  
  
“Hm?”  
  
“Do… you want me to stay longer?”  
  
  
3 seconds of silence.  
  
  
He suddenly pulled my shoulder and made me face him. His eyes looked at me almost with a question mark in it.  
  
Is it so surprising?  
  
“I… can stay another day, I applied for a 3-days leave after all… And your injuries is still healing… I can reason that I want to make sure there is no complication as it’s a wound made by hollow after all.”  
  
  
  
He stayed still seemingly surprised before he snorted and laughed softly.  
  
  
  
“What?! What is it?! Why are you laughing?!”  
  
“No… sorry…haha…you’re so cute, Toushiro”  
  
“Haaah?!! Why, you, Let go of me!”  
  
  
  
I shoved his shoulder away but then he increased the strength of his hand behind my waist and pulled me in, close to his chest. Again, with his long arms and legs, I was completely hidden within his embrace.  
  
It was warm and somewhat embarrassing, so hid my face deeper to his chest.  
  
  
  
“You know what, Toushiro?”  
  
“…what?” I reluctantly replied.   
  
“You’re the best.” He said while he kissed the back of neck.  
  
  
  
God, this guy is so embarrassing. Just hurry up and sleep if you’re going to rest.  
  
  
Then again, I’m not saying it.  
  
  
He kept on touching me all over. He kissed my lips, my cheek, the nape of my neck, the clavicle, back to my lips... it was so gentle, so soft, and it was frustrating. I could hear his breathing softly. And the calming sound of his beating heart. The warmth radiated from his entire body. No doubt, he’s alive and well. And it made me feel weirdly sentimental. I just let him be and we snuggled like that for about half an hour before he then went to sleep.  
  
  
  
“I feel the same.” I whispered as I close my eyes after I made sure he was asleep.  
  
In my sleep, I saw this weird dream were he chuckled childishly as he seemed to have heard my saying that.  
\---


End file.
